The Night Before Life Goes On
by Runs with Werewolfs
Summary: "I don't know how much I like you growing up, Katie. It still feels like you're my baby sister. I don't wanna let you go" Katie's about to leave for college. Mentions of slash in the form of Kames. based on the Carrie Underwood song.


**The Night Before Life Goes On**

* * *

Katie pulled her knees to her chest, staring up at the moon. The nice thing about the Palmwoods being on such a large piece of property was that the city lights were far away, and she could see the stars. She probably would miss that if it wasn't this way, because she and Kendall used to go and watch the stars every night when she was little, and Kendall would tell her stories, and sometimes Logan and the guys would come along and Logan would tell them about the constellations, and James would say that they didn't need to be looking at the stars, since they were in the presence of one. And Usually Carlos would run into something, so James and Logan would carry Carlos back up to the house, and then come back.

She shivered as a wind blew, for a August night it was chilly. She sighed and looked out at the black horizon. Tomorrow, to her brother and Mom and the guys, she'd be nothing but a dot in that horizon. She bit her lip, biting back tears. She had never been one to cry, she was Katie Knight after all, but it killed her to think she was leaving to Seattle tommrow and would only be back for the holidays and summers for the next four+ years.

She jumped as strong arms encircled her and the smell of tobacco and smoke met her nostrils. She knew without even looking which of her brothers this was just by what he smelled like. If it was James, it would be a clean, slightly chemically, but good, cologne-y smell, Logan smelled like mint and Carlos always smelled sugary and kind of like chocolate, a weird smell that was brought on by the amount of junk food Carlos ate. Kendall, for the past 3 years, had smelled of cigarettes. He'd started smoking because the girl he had dated when he was 19, had smoked and had pressured him too. Now, he wouldn't listen when Katie complained that he smelled, or when someone glared at him. Not even James, Kendall's boyfriend for the 2 years, could convince Kendall to knock it off.

She sighed, realizing by the strength of the smell he had just finished smoking. "I wish you wouldn't" she said simply. He knew what she meant. She hated the fact that her big brother, her hero, smoked. She could always tell when he was upset too, because if he was feeling good, which was most days, he would smoke maybe once when he woke up and right after work and then right before bed. He'd been out to smoke at least 10 times today, and probably more when she wasn't looking.

"I know" he said. "I smoke when I'm stressed." Katie bit her lip, she knew why he would be stressed. She knew how badly he had wanted her to go to UCLA just a few miles away, stay at home, where he could keep a watchful eye on her. Kendall Knight was too protective for his own good, especially since he was stressing and smoking like a chimney.

"I still wish you wouldn't smoke." She said. "Please, think about quitting?"

Kendall put his chin on her head. "Okay. You're skin is really could." He said.

"It's chilly outside" she said, shivering slightly. He backed off, and then she felt his flannel shirt slipping onto her shoulders. He sat down in the chair next to her, pulling her into his arms. She put her head on his shoulder. "I don't want to leave. But at the same time, I do" she said sadly, a tear falling from her cheek.

It hit Kendall's arm and he sighed. "Let's go do something, not sit here in self pity." He said, sullenly. She nodded and stood up. Kendall grabbed her arm and pulled her to his chest. "I don't know, kid. I just don't wanna let you go" he said softly, running his fingers through her now wavy, still long, brown hair. "I wish you would never grow up"

* * *

The next morning found the all the guys hauling Katie's things down to her car. Kendall had his arm around her shoulder, a map in his hands, as his mom tried to hide her tears. Kendall pressed the map into his little sister's hands. "Just incase you loose your way." He said with a smile. "Or your fancy GPS gets all confused, like the GPS in James's Mercede's"

James let out a protest. "I'll have you know, Kendall Knight, Mercy is a great car! And Sally doesn't meant to lead me Barstow when I'm trying to get to Bakersfeild! It happens to all of us"

"Why was he going to Bakersfield again?" Carlos asked, shoving Katie's bedding into the trunk.

"He wasn't, he was going to San Diego" Logan explained, coming around from the front end of the car. "Okay, Katie, your engine is working fine, I changed the oil, you're good for at least 2000 miles. I'd find a good mechanic in Seattle if I were you. The BTR mobile is cool looking, but like all- older women- she needs to be taken good care of" he said with a smile.

Katie nodded. "Okay" she said, letting him hug her. "I'll miss you, Logan"

"Don't be a stranger, your laptop has a webcam in it, you have a cellphone, you have email" Logan commanded as James tapped his foot impatiently. Katie nodded and let James basically lift her off her feet.

"and you come back every chance you get" James commanded. "Who knows what kind of trouble we'll get in without you"

Katie laughed. "and no marrying my brother till I'm home, okay?"

James nodded. "Of course not, I'd need a maid of honor after all. And a diamond ring" he gave Kendall a look. Kendall simply stuck his tongue out at James.

Carlos came next. "and never forget to always eat your fruit smackers" he reminded her. Katie laughed and hugged him. "and never miss a meal. And never get corndogs from a gas station. There's a reason they call them gas stations"

Katie laughed. "Okay, Carlos."

"and I'll miss you, hoodie" Carlos said with a grin. Katie grinned up at him and then gasped as he removed the helmet from his head and put it on hers. "and wear this" he said.

Katie nodded. "Okay". Kendall's eyes were wide, Carlos had just given up his helmet and Katie was choking up. Kendall looked at the sky. Nope, no sign of pigs flying, yet.

Their mom came next, sobbing something about how her baby was grown up and she'd never have a full nest again. Katie weakly pointed out that Kendall and his friends still lived at home, trying to console her mom, but the older Knight woman simply let out a sob and then "but they're not my little girls!"

Katie nodeded. "I understand. I'll be back mom. It's okay. I'm not going off to prison or anything"

Her mom looked at her "and if I ever get that call, you're little butt will be mine for the next 50 years, Katherine Olivia Knight"

"I won't break any laws" Katie said, monotone. Her mom let go of her and Kendall pulled her into a hug. "and get caught" she mumbled. Kendall grinned.

"What was that?" her mom asked sharply.

"I love my mom" Katie offered. Kendall nodded.

"Okay, I love you too sweetie. I'm going to go back upstairs; I can't bear to see you leave" her mom said, turning on her heals and leaving.

The moment her mom was in the hotel, Katie broke down, sobbing into her brother's chest. Kendall gave Logan a stressed look, and held her closer. "It's okay, you're not going off to die or anything" Kendall reminded her.

"I know, but I'm going to miss you all so much!" Katie mumbled. Kendall sighed.

"We'll come visit as much as we can." Kendall pulled her away from his body and smiled down at his baby sister. "and we can text each other nonstop, right?"

Katie nodded. "I guess"

Kendall pulled her into one last hug and then away from him again. He beant down and kissed the top of her head, an action that would normally get him flung across the parking lot, bent like a human pretzel. But today, Katie let it slide, since she secretly liked it when he did that anyways, and it was the last time he could do it for a while. He let go of her and pulled her car keys out of his pocket.

"Calll me when you get to your hotel, okay" Kendall said, pushing them into her hand. She nodded and then he pulled her back into his arms again. ""I don't know how much I like you growing up, Katie. It still feels like you're my baby sister. I don't wanna let you go"

She sighed. "I still feel like your baby sister- but I didn't say that, or I'll tell Gustavo who crashed into his Porsche"

"Fine" Kendall reached into his pocket as he let go of her and pulled something out. A simple gold locket necklace. "It has a picture of all 6 of us, back when we first moved here. Give you something to remember us by. And proof you know us" he added as an afterthought. He unfasted it and put it around her neck. "and now you never have to be without us."

"Okay" and she turned, climbing into the car and pulling out of the Palmwoods Parking lot.

James scooted over to Kendall, wrapping an arm around Kendall's shoulder. "She can take care of herself, Kendall. She can take care of herself better than any of us can."

Kendall nodded. "I know" he said, but James knew without even looking, that silent tears were currently rolling down Kendall's face. James simply wrapped him in a hug, and Kendall buried his face into James's neck.

Carlos and Logan disappeared, saying something about a flying chicken and Mr. Bitters. James sighed. "She'll be fine, Ken. She's always been fine."

Kendall nodded. "I know."

"and life will roll on and in 3 months, she'll back, and maybe she'll bring a boyfriend home, and we can scare the daylights out of him"

Kendall laughed at this "Yeah"

Life would go on, and Katie would always be his little sister. She just- didn't need him to sing her to sleep, or protect her from boys, or slap James upside the head when he got too crazy, or cheer her up. She didn't need him for the rare nights she would crawl into his bed, having had a nightmare, and burying her head into his chest, and actually let him comfort her. She didn't need that anymore. She needed freedom and some risk.

And as Kendall watched her taillights grow smaller and smaller, he knew. He, and his mom, had to give her that freedom. Or she'd never be able to accomplish anything. And she had a promising life, so that would be a crime.

But no matter what- Katie would always be his baby sister. Nothing could change that.

* * *

A/N: Ugh, Kendall's one big sap.

I've been working on this for a couple days, it's one of my 2 writers block killers. So I finally got it done so I could post it. It's based off the song The Night Before Life Goes on by Carrie Underwood, slightly. I hope you all liked this.


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